October 06, 2006

The Line

This basically means that I get to go to loads of companies, from Advertising, to Market Research, to PR and Direct Marketing- the only difference is it’s all in the area of Healthcare.

The best way I can think of doing this is by talking about general stuff that I knew I needed to know before I began applications and wished that someone would tell me…

1. Above and Below The Line:

The world of Comms is full of phrases that are sneakily dropped into conversation, and one that seems to crop up quite frequently is ‘Above and Below The Line’.

Simply put-

‘Above the line’ is a direct communication to more than one person (i.e. those 'Girls! Don't expect any help on Tuesday' Zoo Magazine adverts on TV; or those scantily clad Christian Dior supermodels, invariably clutching the current, very expensive, 'it' handbag in the pages of Vogue). So I suppose it’s traditionally what you’d associate with ‘Advertising’.

‘Below the Line’ communications are messages that are direct to an individual, such as a Direct Mail and Online Marketing. An example for the ladies, if you shop on ASOS, the weekly 'Style Updates' that gets sent to your Inbox, with direct links to items on their website, provide ample opportunity for you to 'engage' with their brand, and drive up awareness and sales.

However!

If anyone talks about it or asks about it, the clincher is that the era of ‘The Line’ is over.

It’s now all about comprehensive communication strategies that use loads of different techniques to tap into potential audiences. It’s not about just running an advert on television, or in Vogue.

It’s about working out who your potential market is, and tapping into as many channels as possible. Instead of doing an ’Above or Below The Line’ campaign, the best strategies will combine to generate as many opportunities for the brand to have an impact in the marketplace; from third party endorsements and product placement in magazines (which you can get from PR), to direct emails (the staple of digital marketing), that will bring your brand to life.